Home at Last

by Judith Keim

  Her mother’s eyes grew moist. “I love you too.”

  Before the scene could become maudlin, Lulu turned and walked away.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  When Lulu returned to Chandler Hill, she went right to the inn. Most of the guests had left, leaving staff behind busily cleaning the rooms.

  Lulu knocked on the door to Cami’s office and, when invited to “Come on in,” opened the door.

  Cami beamed at her. “Hi! Becca and I are talking about her wedding. She’s always been thinking of a winter wedding, but now she’s considering putting it off until nicer weather.”

  Lulu glanced at Becca. “That makes sense. It’s a pretty miserable day today—cold and cloudy. Guess I got spoiled by all the mild weather, but I gather from the news this weather is more typical for this time of year.”

  “It’s hard to wait to get married, but Dan and I are living together anyway. I just don’t want to get pregnant before my wedding.”

  The headache that had hovered earlier broke loose in Lulu’s head with a burst of bright stars. She grabbed onto the edge of the chair and closed her eyes.

  “Are you all right?” asked Cami. Her voice sounded as if it was coming through a hollow pipe.

  Lulu started to answer and felt herself falling.

  ###

  When Lulu opened her eyes, a stranger in a blue sweater and dark pants was staring down at her with concern. Kneeling beside her, he was holding onto her wrist with one hand and feeling her forehead with the other.

  “Hello, I’m Dr. Miller, a guest at the hotel. How are you doing? Can you tell me what happened?”

  She turned her head. She was still in Cami’s office. Cami and Becca were staring down at her wide-eyed. “Dr. Miller was passing by when I went to get help,” explained Cami.

  “I’m okay. Guess I got a little dizzy, probably from the headaches I’ve been having. That, or maybe I’m catching the flu. I haven’t been feeling well.”

  Dr. Miller stood and helped her sit up. “Doing okay now?”

  She nodded. “I just feel a little foolish. That’s all.”

  “Your temperature and heart rate are fine. You might be a little dehydrated. It happens at this time of year with all the celebrations, rich food, and alcohol.”

  “That must be it,” Lulu said, knowing that wasn’t the case at all. She hadn’t been drinking alcohol or eating rich foods lately. No, it was probably much worse than anything he’d described. The only thing she wanted to do was to leave Cami’s office and go home to bed.

  After helping her to her feet and leading her to a chair, Dr. Miller turned to Cami. “I think your sister will be fine. She just needs to take it easy for the rest of the day.”

  “Okay. Thanks for coming to our aid.” Cami shook his hand. “I appreciate it.”

  As he turned to leave, Lulu tugged on Cami’s arm. “How long was I out?”

  “Just a few seconds. He was right outside the office when I called for help.”

  “It’s nothing.” Lulu’s wobbly voice turned into a wail before she burst into tears.

  Cami wrapped her arms around Lulu. “My God! What’s going on?”

  Lulu slowly drew several deep breaths in and out, trying to calm herself. Feeling sicker than she had for the past few weeks, she managed to say, “I think I’m pregnant.” She pushed past Cami and Becca, raced into the office’s private bathroom, and threw up.

  “Oh, sweetie,” said Cami, coming up behind her and handing her a cold cloth. “I’m so sorry.”

  “I’ll have to tell Will,” Lulu said, aware she couldn’t be part of his campaign now. The rumors would kill his chances of winning, especially when the talk concerned the daughter of a man disgraced by his actions.

  Lulu grabbed Cami’s extended hand and got to her feet. Facing Cami and Becca, she felt a new strength come to her.

  “Please don’t mention this to anyone. I haven’t figured out what I’m going to do. Right now, I feel as if my world has just collapsed.”

  “Okay,” said Cami. “We’re here for you.”

  “Absolutely,” Becca said, giving her a little hug.

  “You both promise me you won’t even mention it to your guys?”

  Cami and Becca held up their right hands.

  “Okay, thanks. Now, I’d like to go home and get some rest,” Lulu said with as much dignity as she could muster. She felt like curling up into a fetal position and staying there until she faded away into a memory.

  “I’ll drive you,” said Cami with a firmness Lulu wasn’t even going to try to challenge.

  They walked out of the inn together.

  Cami gave her a look of such concern, it brought tears to her eyes. “Are you going to be all right?”

  Lulu shrugged. “Is it okay if I stay with you until I make a decision?”

  “Oh, hon, of course. The way the house is designed you can come and go as you wish without disturbing Drew and me, and maintain the privacy you’ve always wanted.”

  “Thanks,” Lulu replied, fighting fresh tears. After the news about the possibility of her working with Will had come out, she’d have to think of a way to gracefully back out of that job. She clutched her hands, feeling sick all over again. She was in such a mess.

  Cami pulled into her driveway. “Remember, I’m only minutes away if you need me.”

  Lulu nodded and managed a smile. “Thanks, sis.”

  Walking into the empty house, Lulu felt more alone than she ever had. She didn’t need to take a pregnancy test. Now that she thought about it, all the symptoms were there. The underlying nausea she’d felt for weeks, her tiredness, even the change in her breasts, which she’d attributed it to the weight she’d gained from all the good food. And there was only one man responsible. But how? He’d made sure of protection. Had a condom broke?

  She turned around and headed down the hill to the special grove of trees reserved for family. The peaceful atmosphere there was something everyone in the family sought when they were troubled, and she was more than troubled. She’d made the worst mistake of her life.

  There, among the pines whose scented boughs whispered in the breeze and the hardwood trees whose sterile branches seemed as empty as her future, Lulu paced back and forth.

  When she heard the sound of footsteps behind her, she knew who it was. She turned and fought back tears.

  “What is it, Cariño?” asked Rafe.

  The tender expression on his face broke the dam of her resolve. Crying, she ran into his outstretched arms.

  “Oh, Rafe, I’ve made such a mess of my life. I don’t know what I’m going to do,” she sobbed.

  Rafe patted her back. “Let’s start by finding out what the problem is. Come, sit with me.”

  She found a place beside him on the bench and stared at him through blurred vision. “I’m pretty sure I’m pregnant. All the signs are there. I’ve ruined my life.”

  “Well, now, I’ve always thought a baby added to life,” he said calmly. “If you’re pregnant, it doesn’t have to be a catastrophe.”

  “Oh, but I’ll have to tell Will I can’t help him with his campaign, and I certainly can’t marry him.”

  “It’s not his baby?”

  Lulu shook her head. “No. And I don’t want the father to know. I’ll raise the baby alone.”

  “Whoever the father is, he has a right to know,” said Rafe. The edge to his voice reminded Lulu of his own circumstances with his daughter, Autumn.

  She gasped. “Oh, Rafe, I’m sorry I forgot ...”

  “Any man has the right to know about such things and then take responsibility for his actions.” His steady gaze made her shift uncomfortably.

  “Who is it?” Rafe asked quietly. “Someone we know?”

  She emitted a long, painful sigh. “It’s Miguel. We went out one evening. We got carried away standing in the moonlight talking about the plans he has for his house. And then, later, he was so ... tender ... and...”

  “He’s an honorable man. He’ll w
ant to do the right thing by you,” said Rafe, squeezing her arm with encouragement.

  Miserable, Lulu sniffed. “At Christmas, you heard him say he hasn’t met the right person yet. I don’t want any man to feel obligated to marry me. If you insist, I’ll tell him about the baby, but that won’t change my thinking.”

  “One step at a time, dear one,” said Rafe.

  She caught a sob in her throat. “Cami’s lucky to have you for a grandfather.”

  His smile was sweet. “You’ve forgotten. Cami and I have already included you and your mother in the family.”

  Lulu hesitated and then asked, “Are you and my mother ...”

  “Just friends. She’s the same age as Autumn would be if she’d lived. I like to think that Rosalie is allowing me to get to know what it might have felt like to have my daughter here. She can talk to me about most anything because she knows it won’t go any further. And I can offer her some of the wisdom I’ve picked up along the way. She still misses her father, you know.”

  “I barely remember him. He died before Teddy was born.”

  “Death is part of living,” said Rafe. “That’s why it’s important to embrace new life.”

  Lulu’s blood rushed from her head. “You wouldn’t think ... Oh, Rafe! I would never end this one.”

  “All right,” said Rafe calmly. “You’ve taken care of step one. Now you can move on to other decisions. Decisions you have to make alone.” He rose. “How about a cup of hot tea? My bones are getting chilled.”

  “Do you have any decaf? I’m going to have to be careful.”

  Rafe patted her on the back. “Good girl.”

  ###

  After spending more time with Rafe and being reassured he’d tell no one, Lulu felt much better, stronger. She drove into town to the drug store and picked up the test that she felt would be positive. Still, she wanted to be absolutely certain.

  Back at home, Lulu sat on the edge of the tub in the bathroom and stared at the test with a calmness that came from knowing the results all along. She figured she was seven weeks or so along. That would mean her baby would be born in August.

  Lulu discarded the test and the material that came with it and went to get her computer. She wasn’t made of campaign manager material for nothing.

  Sitting at the kitchen table, she made a list of all the things she’d need to do. The call to Will would wait until she was certain everything else was in order.

  She made an appointment with an OB/GYN doctor, left a message for a realtor, and made a note to ask Drew about his rental. He had left some of his things there and might be willing to sublease it to her.

  With each notation she became more confident of the future. She’d either rent or buy an apartment or condo, work at Chandler Hill Inn, and raise this child alone. Yes, she would tell Miguel about the baby, but not until after he came back from Chile. By then, she’d be settled.

  “Keep things simple,” she reminded herself aloud. In another week, things should be in order. In the meantime, she’d once again swear Cami and Becca to secrecy. She didn’t want anyone else to know about her predicament. In time, it would become all too obvious.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  When Lulu talked to Drew about the house he was renting, he explained he was leasing it from Abby and Lisa. He gave her their phone number in Arizona and offered to help in any way.

  “Thanks,” she said, giving him a quick hug. “I’ve decided to stay in the area and am considering renting or buying a place convenient to the vineyards. I appreciate your help. Cami sure knows how to pick a great guy.”

  “No problem. Come on by this afternoon, and I’ll give you a tour of the place. It’s kind of messy, but you’ll get the idea. It’s a very nice house. I’d buy it myself, but I’m overextended as it is with Lone Creek Winery.”

  “I understand.” Her thoughts flew to Miguel. Thank God she’d elicited promises from Cami and Becca to keep quiet about her predicament. None of them would suspect Miguel was the baby’s father, and that’s how she wanted to keep it for as long as possible.

  ###

  That afternoon, she toured the house Drew was renting with growing enthusiasm. Conveniently located between the wineries and town, it was a perfect place for her. The two-story house had three bedrooms, one of which was a master suite on the first floor, a small office, a nice kitchen, and an open living-dining area with a fireplace. A front porch caught the morning sun, and the back deck was the perfect place to view a sunset.

  After she toured the house, she gave Abby a call, explaining who she was. “Drew has moved into Cami’s house, so I was wondering if you’d be willing to rent it to me. And if you ever decide to sell it, I’d definitely be interested.”

  They chatted some more about the family and her work at The Barn. “Cami has told us so much about you that we’d be delighted to rent the house to you,” said Abby. “As for selling it, I don’t think we’re ready to do that just yet.”

  “Thanks so much,” Lulu gushed, filled with gratitude. Her circumstance might not be what she wanted, but the vibes of the valley were working in her favor.

  “We’ll email the paperwork to you. Once a deposit has been made and the paperwork signed, you’ll be all set,” Abby said.

  Lulu ended the call and sat on her bed, weak with relief. Now all that was left was a call to Will and later, after things were settled with him, she’d call her mother.

  ###

  One week later, Lulu waited at the airport for Will to arrive. When she had told him they needed to talk, he insisted on coming to Chandler Hill against her wishes. Standing among others waiting for disembarked passengers, Lulu’s body hummed with nervous energy. She knew very well she and Will would make a great political team, but after spending time at Chandler Hill with Rafe, Cami, and the others, she realized that was not a good reason to decide to marry. And as for the campaign, she’d stay away from it. Will already had enough of a struggle to win a political race because of his connection to her father.

  As the minutes for his arrival dragged on, she gazed into space and told herself everything would be all right. Even if their discussion went badly, she was happy with her future life in the valley.

  She looked over to find Will striding toward her with a wide smile. Her heartbeat bumped to a stop and sprang ahead to cover the missed tempo. He moved with confidence and looked every bit the handsome, successful man he was striving to be. People automatically turned to him in the crowd, no doubt wondering who he was.

  She stepped to one side and greeted him with a quick hug, praying he would understand what she had to tell him.

  “Hey, beautiful,” he said, snuggling her against his tall, solid body. As he bent down to kiss her, she quickly moved her head to offer her cheek.

  He stepped back and studied her. “Should I be worried?”

  Reluctantly, she nodded. “Let’s get to Chandler Hill, and we’ll talk then. I’ve reserved a room for you. We’ll have more privacy.”

  They were quiet as they headed to Lulu’s car. And even after they were settled inside, the silence between them pulsed with unspoken questions and answers. Lulu attempted to fill the time with talk about winemaking, growing grapes, and her job marketing for the wineries.

  “Wait until you see what Cami’s grandmother and she have created. The Chandler Hill Inn is beautiful, and you’ll get a nice taste of Chandler Hill wines.”

  “I looked it up on the internet, of course. It’s a gorgeous piece of property. I can understand why you told me you want to live there, but you’re right. We definitely need to talk. I can’t let you make a mistake like this.”

  Lulu bristled at the authoritative tone he’d begun to use, but remained silent. She did not want to have this conversation in a car midway between the airport and the place where she felt safest.

  When they finally began to drive up the hill leading to the inn, Will’s attention was caught by the scenery. She pulled her car to a stop in front of the inn’s entrance.<
br />
  Will let out a soft, “Wow! Even better than the photographs.”

  “You’re going to feel very pampered here,” Lulu said. “Let’s go in. I’m sure Cami and Becca have put you in one of my favorite rooms in the original building.”

  Will got out, grabbed his carry-on bag from the backseat, and followed Lulu to the front entrance. As she did each time she stepped inside, Lulu felt a sense of pride at being related to Cami Chandler. Hers was a proud, successful family who deserved a lot of respect and praise for all their hard work. The end result was stunning.

  As soon as they stepped up to the front desk, Lulu heard her name being called and turned to find Cami walking toward them, Becca at her heels.

  “You’re back,” said Cami giving her a hug for a few extra seconds. She glanced at Will, who was staring at her with unconcealed astonishment.

  “My God! The two of you could be twins!” He offered Cami his hand. “I’m Wilson Chambers.”

  “So glad to meet you. And this is Becca Withers, my assistant. Please let us know if we can do anything for you during your stay.” Cami grinned at him. “You’re with family, and that means a lot.”

  “I’m here to help you, too,” said Becca, smiling and shaking hands with him. She turned as new arrivals headed their way.

  Lulu handled the arrangement at the reception desk and then led Will up to one of the upstairs rooms she’d requested. This one had a small balcony off the back of the house and a fireplace in the room. Lulu liked the fact that they’d be able to warm the chill of their conversation with a glowing fire.

  She’d tried to analyze her position from all angles, but no matter the direction she followed, it didn’t work. She liked Will a lot, but she didn’t love him. Respect wasn’t enough of a reason to dedicate her life to him and his work. Because of the affection she did have for him, she didn’t want to be in his way, with both her family history and her latest development.

  She stepped onto the balcony and wrapped her arms around herself. The sun would soon be going down, but in the growing dusk, the rows and rows of grapevines were impressive.